What is motion palpation?
Motion palpation is a hands-on examination where a chiropractor uses their hands to feel and assess the movement and mobility of individual spinal segments to identify restrictions or excessive movement.
During motion palpation, a chiropractor places their hands on specific vertebrae or spinal regions and moves the patient through controlled ranges of motion while feeling how each segment moves. This tactile assessment allows the practitioner to detect vertebral subluxations, restricted joints (hypomobility), or joints that move too freely (hypermobility). The technique relies on the chiropractor's developed sensitivity to subtle changes in joint mechanics under their fingertips.
Motion palpation serves as a diagnostic tool before treatment. By identifying segments that deviate from normal movement patterns, chiropractors determine which areas require adjustment or manipulation and which may need stabilization work instead. The information gathered helps guide the treatment plan and track changes over multiple visits.
The assessment typically occurs with the patient standing, sitting, or lying down, depending on which spinal region is being examined. Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacroiliac segments can all be assessed using motion palpation. The technique is often combined with static palpation (feeling the spine at rest) and other orthopedic tests to build a complete picture of the patient's spinal function.